Hi all!
I’m in a tizz. I had my 6th HRA on Monday of last week. My previous 5 have all gone like clockwork, to the extent I pretty much know exactly what my recovery days will look like without fail. Lucky I know!
Clearly too confident, this time it’s all gone bottoms up. I’m 4 days on now and where I’d usually be pretty much back to normal, I’m having intense pain around the anus. This is constant but becomes excruciating on bowel movements. I’ve had a look (joys of modern phones ) and it’s like a war zone. The entire anus opening is blood red and swollen, possibly with some light coloured discharge.
all previous HRA’s have been carried out at my local hospital, on a surgery table. This was carried out at a smaller hospital in a gynaecologist chair. It was so much more painful at the time so I’m wondering if this could be damage done at point of procedure from the sitting position?
part of me is worried I may have an infection but it’s unknown territory and I don’t want to cause a fuss if it is just tissue damage from the procedure.
but then again, on the flip side of that, should I get that checked out anyway?
sorry for this stream of consciousness, I’m quite tired haha! Any experiences and or suggestions welcomed. Really don’t want to be a hypochondriac, just a bit bamboozled (and a lot in pain!)
FYI, anal cancer, diagnosed June 24. Tumour removed and a follow up surgery to remove some of the anal canal.
all the best, K
Hi Irene,
Thank you for the response. I am in the U.K., although so far down west we often wonder if we live on another planet 
that’s interesting to know though, about it not being common practise in other areas. I’ll ask Mr S if there’s other options available. I’ve had these every three months since my tumour was removed and, my goodness, it’s taking its toll both physically and psychologically!
I am going to monitor over the weekend and give my colorectal nurses a call on Monday. If nothing else just to request never having the chair again! I have a condition called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome that means my connective tissues and soft tissues are a bit faulty and I’m convinced the position I was in and pressure against the equipment has caused the blood bruises.
i hope you’re having a good weekend Irene, you contribute so much on here. Hope you’re doing something nice for yourself today!
k
Hi KayleighK ,
I was wondering like Irene as to if you were outside of the UK, as anoscopies or colonoscopies aren’t commonplace in our follow-ups but then I re-read your post & see that you had your tumour surgically removed & a further surgery after that so I’m presuming that’s why your surveillance is a little different to if you’d been through chemoradiotherapy.
Anyhow having not been through this procedure personally doesn’t mean I can’t sympathise with your pain & discomfort but what I will say is if you’ve any suspicion at all that you may have infection then see either your Dr or with it being a weekend ring 111 & take some advice & I’d be insisting on the bed again next time & not the gynae chair as it sounds as though positioning may have caused the issue if you’ve been ok on other occasions.
I really hope things settle back down soon. Sending lots of healing thoughts your way.
Nicola
